Gone
by The Knit Hat Ninja
Summary: A continuation after the end of Unwound Future. Layton's feelings after Claire left.


***sniffle* *sniffle* I wrote this like two months ago. I feel like I should add a disclaimer, because it's post Unwound Future, and I used some of the dialogue and actions from the actual game... so..._.I DON'T OWN PROFESSOR LAYTON!_ Any of the games. Nope. If I _did_ own the games, Flora and Luke would be together by now. And Claire would still be alive. And Bill Hawks would be gone _forever_. Anyway. Enjoy! :)**

I didn't want to lose her for a second time...the first time was hard enough. She was gone forever this time.

"She's gone!" Luke shouted. I turned around, not exactly facing him. I didn't want the boy to see me in this state. I was loved by him, wasn't I? All I could do was look at the starry sky that was beginning to drop a plethora of feathery snow. Two tears dropped down my rosy cheeks and I took my top hat off.

I really didn't want to lose Claire again. I loved her so much...she loved me too. She didn't want to leave either, but she had to. Her body wasn't in a good enough shape to stay with Luke and I in our present time. I would've liked her to stay here more; Our alone time after finding out she was in fact Claire and not Celeste was limited. She hugged me and I held her for what seemed like a tiny forever. She kissed me and said the words that will probably never leave my head. _I'll miss you, Hershel...and our unwound future._ Then she walked away.

I had known exactly what she meant. What she hadn't known was that I was going to propose to her. I had disliked myself for not finding the courage in my voice to ask her. When she was leaving for the time machine experiment I thought she was going to come back. I was going to ask her then. I had the ring in my pocket. I was waiting. Waiting for her return. I was waiting for the voice I missed the most. Waiting for the laugh to fill my heart with a warming blaze of fire. Waiting to be able to hug her and not let go. Waiting for _Claire_, my love.

"It's getting cold, Luke. We'd better return home." I say quietly, still looking up at the snowy sky. It was beginning to drench my coat. I faced the boy this time, and forced a smile to the best of my abilities. A true gentleman always keeps his emotions in check in front of a younger gentleman like Luke, right? At the moment I felt lost and hopeless. My gentlemen charade can break just this once, can't it?

Luke nodded furiously, a worried look upon his face. "I agree, Professor." he whispered, "I'm starting to get a chill!"

"My boy, you're wearing shorts." I commented, pointing at his attire. At least he had a long sleeved shirt on.

"Yeah..." Luke replied, looking at me. "Are you going to be okay, Professor?"

I looked down at the ground that was beginning to get caked with snow and shrugged my shoulders. I looked up again at the young man standing in front of me, "I think so." I answered. I didn't really know what to say.

"...Well...just don't think about it. Let's return to Flora. I bet she's probably _really_ worried about us! She probably thinks that we left her again!" Luke exclaimed. He grabbed my arm and started to pull me along with him. "It'll be okay, Professor." he assured me. He let go of my arm as I started to walk on my own.

"Yeah," I replied, "Thank you, my boy. I'm sorry if I've caused any distress. I'm just a little shaken, that's all." This time, I didn't have to force a smile. But my actual smile didn't grow as wide; The corners of my mouth tipped up slightly.

Luke stopped me in his tracks. "Don't even worry about it, Professor! Of course, you have the right to feel as you want in this situation. To be honest, I'd be a little scared if you _weren't_ sad. J-Just...don't put a wall up, okay?"

I laughed, "Silly boy, why would I do something like that? A true gentleman never leaves his friends." My smile had grown a bit wider. I was starting to feel my gentleman charade come back.

Luke looked down, "I don't know...but you promise to write me once I've moved, right?" The boy looked on the verge of tears.

"Luke," I whispered quietly, putting my hand on his shoulder. "Of course I do. What kind of friend would I be if I didn't write to you?" How the thought if me not even writing to him slipped into his mind, I'll never know.

Luke laughed, "I'm not really sure, Professor. Just a little worried about moving, that's all." A smile cracked from his young face, "But I won't have to worry about that anymore, will I?"

I nodded, "Not at all, my dear boy."

"Good!"

I nodded once again and looked up to the sky. It hadn't reminded me of a puzzle, but of Claire. I know she's up there in heaven, watching over me. I put my top hat back on and smiled. I would take good care of it, as I always have. She gave it to me, after all. And that is what a true gentleman does.


End file.
